Archive for the ‘Florida’ Category

Lowndes DB Greg Reid

What will Greg Reid do on Tuesday night?

The state and (gulp) nation awaits, as Reid has transformed himself into arguably the county’s “hottest” college football prospect over the last month.

Reid, the AJC’s Player of the Year, will choose between Alabama, Florida State and Georgia between 6-8 p.m. on a local radio station that also broadcasts over the Internet.

Love him or hate him, Reid is nothing short of greatness on the football field. He is considered the rarest of prospects, someone who has the potential to improve a college team’s football fortunes from the very moment he arrives on campus. What will Greg Reid do?

The 5-foot-8 Reid had a dominating senior season at Lowndes High. If that wasn’t convincing enough, he played in Georgia’s North-South all-star classic and scored the game’s only two touchdowns on punt returns of 89 and 77 yards. If more proof was needed, Reid won MVP honors with two interceptions in the ESPN-televised Under Armour …

Continue reading What will Greg Reid do? The state awaits Tuesday night »

Do you think you know your recruiting? Do you have some inside information that no one else knows? Then let’s have some fun. 

Take your best guess on where five high-profile recruits will sign on Wednesday …

Greg Reid, DB, Lowndes. It’s Florida State, UGA, and Alabama. His Lowndes teammate and cousin, Gerald Demps, is headed to Florida State, and some family members would like him to play a little closer to home (Tallahassee is 85 miles away, while Athens is 240). Reid admits with Georgia being his final official visit, they are in great position to make the biggest influence before signing day. Will it be enough?

Carver-Columbus LB Jarvis Jones

Jarvis Jones, LB, Carver-Columbus. The poker-faced Jones lists Florida, Southern Cal, UGA, LSU and Texas. There’s an “80-percent chance” he’ll go out of state. Mark Richt spent six hours with Jones on Wednesday. Was that enough to make Jones think about staying around home to play?

Darren Myles, DB, Carver-Atlanta. He is taking an …

Continue reading Step right up and make your National Signing Day predictions »

Tim Tebow hoists 2008 BCS trophy

Orson Charles is one of the “legends of recruiting.” He’s the football prospect who accidentally bumped into and shattered Florida’s 2006 BCS National Championship trophy while touring campus last April.

The tight end from Tampa returned to Florida for an official visit last weekend, and he just knew that topic was going to come up. And it did, when he was in the plush office of Urban Meyer, coach of the Gators.

Meyer just couldn’t resist bringing it up when talking to Charles with the 2008 BCS trophy nearby. “We got a new one … so stay far away from that one.”

Meyer laughed, and so did Charles. He has accepted that the “incident” will follow him around for the rest of his life. Said Charles, “But hopefully I can do something in college that people will remember more.”

Maybe so, but probably not. That was a recruiting classic.

Continue reading Orson Charles is ordered to stay away from 2008 BCS National Championship trophy during Florida visit »

UGA fans get excited about the possibility of a defensive secondary featuring Branden Smith and Greg Reid.

Smith likes the idea, too.

“I don’t know Greg very well, but his performance (two interceptions) in the all-star game speaks for itself,” Smith said. “All he does is make plays.”

“I’d love for Greg to come to Georgia with me. It would great to have two Georgia boys back there locking down wide receivers and helping the Bulldogs win championships.”

Smith, from Atlanta’s Booker T. Washington High, is the state’s top prospect and has committed to Georgia.

Reid played at Lowndes and is arguably the state’s hottest prospect after winning MVP honors at the Under Armour All-America game. Reid backed off his longtime commitment to Florida and is now considering the Gators, Georgia, Florida State and Alabama.

Smith denied rumors that he would consider other schools if Reid, who plays the same position, committed to Georgia. “Not true, at all. When I picked Georgia, I picked …

Continue reading Imagine UGA defensive secondary with Branden Smith and Greg Reid »

Why does college football recruiting have such a fanatical following? Some have suggested because it is a “male soap opera.” Whatever the case, if you like drama, especially among the state’s top college prospects, there is plenty of it to unravel between now and national signing day on Feb. 4. Here are six recruiting soap operas to watch:

Greg Reid is considering the Gators, UGA, Florida State, Mississippi State, and Texas and probably six more colleges that called by the time you read this caption.

Greg Reid, Lowndes: He may be the nation’s hottest prospect after his MVP performance in the Under Armour All-America game, intercepting two passes and nearly picking off another. Only a few days earlier, the 5-foot-9, 185-pound Reid made the surprising move to back off his longtime commitment to Florida, saying he rushed his initial decision. UGA has reminded Reid it still has a scholarship available for him. He will make recruiting trips to Florida on Jan. 16, Mississippi State …

Continue reading Six Soap Operas to Watch in the State »